Sail-reefing apparatus.



PATENTED MAY 28. 1907.

J. V. ERIGSON. SAIL REEFING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.26, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

2x16" eases atmnm THE NORRIS PETERS co., wAsr-una'mu. n. c.

PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

J. V. ERIGSON. SAIL REEFING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wAsnmcmN, a. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN V. ERICSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAIL-REEFING APPARATUS.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JOHN V. ERIcsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sail-Reefing Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a device or apparatus for reefin fore-and-aft sails,and includes means whereby a plain or gaff sail may be reduced to atriangular or lego-mutton sail in a speedy and efficient manner, andwithout the use of the ordinary reef points,'which, however, can beutilized to still further reduce the sail if necessary.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a boat with the sail set. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the sail reefed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of ametal gaff. Fig. 4 is a cross section thereof. Fig. 5 is a side view ofa wooden gaff.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the sail spreadbetween the mast 7, the boom 8, and the gaff 9. The latter is curved toform'an are having its center at the clew of the sail at 10, and the topor head of the sail has a curve corresponding to that of the gaff.

The metal gaff shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is cross shaped in cross section,and its side flanges 11 support the traveling hangers 12 which are bentto the head of the sail and which are slidable along the gaff. The innerend of the gaff is pivoted to the jaw 13 at 14, and said jaw carries thethroat halyard block 15, and the gaff has a pulley 16 at the peak orouter end.

The sail has rings 17 sewed to both sides thereof, for the brails 18 torun through, and these rings are preferably placed on or about a linefrom the inner end of the gafi to the tip of the boom. The brails areconnected to the leech of the sail and extend thence through the rings17 and through blocks 19 connected to the traveling rings 20 on themast, and thence down to convenient position for manipulation from thedeck. An out-hauling line 21 is connected to the peak Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1907. Serial No. 359,103.

Patented May 28, 1907.

of the sail and runs thence over the pulley 16, through a block 22 atthe top of the mast, and thence down beside the mast.

The boom 8 has a sheave hole at the tip, through which the line 23 runsand connects with the peak of the gaff 9, and is made fast to a cleat 24under the boom. The sail also has the ordinary throat halyards 25 andpeak halyards 26 for hoisting the same.

The wooden gaff shown in Fig. 5 has a metal guide rod 27 on the underside, on which runs the sliding hangers 12 for the same purpose as abovereferred to.

To reef the sail the head of the sail is hauled in by the brails 18, thehangers 12 sliding along the gafi, and the sail may thus be reduced tolegomutton form as shown in Fig. 2, the folds being gathered between thebrails and reefed in to the line of the rings 17 through which thebrails run. The sail may be further shortened, if necessary, by the useof the points 28, in the usual manner. For resetting the sail theout-hauling line 21 is used. 1

It is obvious that a sail provided by my invention may be reefed veryquickly, since it is only necessary to loosen the out-hauling line andhaul in the brails; and the sail may be reset with equal facility.

I claim:

1. The combination with a mast and gaff, of a sail the head of which hastraveling connections with the gaff, rings attached to the sail on aline between the outer foot clew and the throat, brails connected at theleech and extending across the sail and through said rings and to themast and arranged to draw in the head of the sail along the gaff, and anout-hauling line running from the peak of the sail to the outer end ofthe gaff, and arranged to draw the head of the sail out along the gaff.

2. The combination of a gaff curved on an arc concentric with the clewat the outer lower corner of the sail, a sail having traveling hangersat the head slidable along the gaff, and means to draw the head of thesail in or out along the gaff, to reef or set the same.

3. The combination with a mast, and a the sail and extending to the tipof the gafi? IO curved gaff concentric with the outer clew and thence toand down the mast. v at the foot of the sail, of a sail the head of Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature, which has travlelingcoiilnections with the in presence of two witnesses. gaff rings attac edto t e sail on substan tialfy a line between said clew and the throat,JOHN ERIOSON' brails connected at the leech and extending Witnesses:through said rings to and down the mast, and JOHN D. MAwL, an outhaulingline connected to the peak of GEORGE BROWN..

